Jensen Huang, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nvidia, said at a gathering that brought together participants in Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, "Now is a Critical opportunity for Korea to leverage its cultural foundation, industrial foundation, and geopolitical position."
On the afternoon of the 8th, CEO Huang met with reporters at the Shilla Hotel Yeongbingwan just before the "Korea AI Ecosystem Reception," saying, "Now is truly Korea's time." The event was Huang's final stop in Korea and featured 18 companies.
Large domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, SK Telecom, Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics, Naver, and Krafton took center stage.
AI startups including NC AI, FriendliAI, Twelve Labs, Filer, and Nota, as well as AI physical corporations such as Doosan Robotics, RealWorld, ROBOTIS, N.D.LIGHT, and AeiROBOT also took part.
It was a large, closed-door roundtable that brought together diverse AI ecosystem participants, and was said to have discussed Generative AI, sovereign AI, AI Semiconductor infrastructure, global expansion, and ways to cooperate within the startup ecosystem.
Before the event, CEO Huang said, "Most of Nvidia's 33-year history has been with Korea," adding, "Korea is world-class in heavy industry and the electronics industry, and now it is also reaching the world's highest level in the software industry and the AI industry."
He added, "There is no country like this anywhere in the world," referring to energy infrastructure including nuclear power, and said, "Even in energy, the foundation of AI infrastructure, it has achieved a world-class level."
He also cited the geopolitical position, a technology-friendly culture, and global soft power represented by K-pop and K-beauty as favorable conditions for expanding the AI ecosystem.